Musing on yoga, wellness and living a healthy, happy life

February 08, 2012

Getting the Film Off Your Manduka Mat According to Manduka

I bought my first Manduka mat approximately 8 years or so ago and I had no problem with slipping from day one. I loved the thickness and the durability as well. Once I starting teaching approximately 4 years ago, I recommended the mat to my students who, to my disappointment, told me that they were slipping all over the place. I also witnessed them slipping in class so I started adding a caveat to my recommendation. "This mat will last you forever but you have to break it in." My students started searching the internet for ways to get the coating off. They used vinegar, soaked it in the tub and just straight up used it. All of these helped but the mat was still annoyingly slippery for a long time before officially being "broken in". So I decided to send Manduka a tweet. Here is the conversation. I am "wellnessyogini".

okay @mandukayoga what is up w/ the slippery coating on the new mats?I got my first 1 about 8 years ago & no slip from day one....

@wellnessyogini that's the film leftover from the eco manufacturing process. Breaking in your new mat is all about wearing off that film.

So, to sum it up:

Leave it in the sun

Salt Scrub

Use it

You guys go ahead and do that and let me know what happens. Maybe they will see this and do something about the annoying coating. After paying that much money, you shouldn't have to "break it in". I have a better idea, why don't they "break it in" before they ship them. If they don't want to be bothered with getting the coating off, we don't either especially after the price increase. I am sure that they can find some type of process or environmentally friendly solution that will do it.

Don't get me wrong, I still love Manduka & it is the only mat I will buy....wait...maybe that is why they are unconcerned with the coating....they have cornered the market.....hmmmm

27 Comments

Perfect timing to read this. I am hoping to buy the Manduka Pro in the next few days. After 8 years of using a "cheap" mat (if $40 is a "cheap" mat), it's showing some wear, but it's perfectly broken in. I feel like it's time to "graduate" to Manduka. My hesitation is 1,000% about the slip-factor. You're totally right: ppl will keep buying these mats--even if they are not "ready" for use--since it's *THE MAT*. I have to admit I'm frightened off by that breaking-in period; I want to focus on the yoga, not my mat!

I had been using a Jade mat, which I absolutely loved but it was starting to become too stretched out. Bought a manduka and I'm so sad! I've tried scrubbing with salt and leaving it in the sun but it is still too slippery. I've been using my old jade mat in the meantime as I can't even hold downward dog with my new mat. I wish manduka would figure out this slippery issue! In the meantime, and to the dismay of my bank account... I might just end up getting another jade mat.

Nothing seems to work! I have salted mine 4 different times and used it 8 day's in a row leaving in unrolled in the sun when I am not using it and it is still just as slippery. I am so sad because my husband got it for me as a gift and now I have to send it back. It is not worth hurting yourself to break it in. I am a yoga teacher and I slid out of down dog and landed on my face. It is too bad!

so glad to see this thread...i got a manduka yoga mat as recommended by my instructor and first day on it slipped in down dog EVERY TIME! so frustrating, especially paying that much. was considering returning it-still am. thought it was me:)

I agree, just used my new Manduka black today and it was so slippery. I couldn't believe it. I retired an old Jade that I never had any slippage problem with ever. What's up with this Manduka. The "breaking in" I'm reading about seems a tad silly, for a mat of that price. And I did in fact do the wash prior to use and tonight have scrubbed it with salt twice. Not prepared to slip around for the next couple month s and I practice at least 5 days week. It may have to be returned I'm sad to say.

I've practiced 4+ days per week for two months on my Manduka extra long... still too slippery to use once you have any sweat on your feet or hands. I tried toweling it off, but now I'm just using a yogitoes towel on top (regular cotton towel slips off.)

It's winter here, so once we get warmer out I'll try leaving it out in the sun, but seriously I may just have to return this or figure something else out.

I have been having a real problem with my manduka as well. I've been trying to break my mat in for the past 2 months by using it nearly every day. I have tried scrubbing it with the salts multiple times. My mat is still slippery. I got grip gloves because I literally couldn't hold poses--in downward dog, I slipped and almost fell right on my face. I didn't want to get grip socks because I rather have bare feet, but it's come to the point where I'll need them just to use my mat. Even in standing poses, it's so slippery that it's dangerous. My 6 buck travel mat is more enjoyable to practice on at this point. I'm shocked to be having this problem since so many people regard it as the best mat they've ever had. Unfortunately, so far, it's only been frustrating, dangerous, and problematic. Every other feature it has is lovely, though. The only thing wrong is the coating. It makes the mat unbearable and certainly not worth the $108.

I bought a Manduka Blackmat Pro and have been using it daily for half a year. I tried scrubbing it with almost anything just to get the coating off. In my view, this company should be forced to warn people about the issue, as it is potentially dangerous, and could cause injury. Imagine if someone switched to this mat, didn't realise they were going to slip, tried a complex position, and fell awkwardly. Awful product, which should never be recommended by anyone while they know its flaws, however good its previous reputation was.

I just received my mat as a gift from my husband. It's very slippery. I was so excited because this was going to be my first upgrade mat since using a cheaper mat for a year. I'm taking the mat back tonight and going back to my old mat until I find something else.

ACK! Has anyone figured this out yet? Like most of you, I splurged and "graduated" from a Jade to an extra-long Manduka Black Pro. I tested out other yogis' mats first before I bought (of course none of them were slippery). So far I've salted and sunned twice. Slipped in class and had to use a towel. I don't see the point in covering an expensive mat with a towel every time. I don't want a towel, I want a sticky mat! I thought this one was the best! So frustrated!

Wow - I'm concerned - has ANYONE worn their new mat in? Just got mine for Christmas. I feel bad because I gave my husband the exact model I wanted and I don't want him disappointed. Used it today in a hot class. Had my sweat towel under my hands the entire time to keep from slipping.

If I can add my pinch of salt to this, I've had my manduka prolite for a couple of months now, and when I got it, I saw your article. Did the salt scrub twice, and then took it to the studio. I practice daily and about two days in, I was in total blissful love. Obviously, in hot yoga, any mat will slip form my own experience. But in a regular class, for me, it's now a no-brainer thing. I spray it from time to time with water, salt and tea tree oil to clean it but otherwise, I'm already contemplating the purchase of a second one.
So... if you're concerned and you read this, don't get discouraged just yet!

I've scrubbed my mat down with salt (twice), wiped it down with a vinegar/warm water solution, placed it in the sun and it's still a bit slippery. I've been using my mat on both ends to speed up the "breaking in" process. That seems to help. After slipping when I tried to do full wheel in class yesterday, I finally broke down and bought a hand towel on Manduka's website today. It is a great mat but I wish you didn't have to keep fussing with it to break it in properly.

Same with me. My daughters got me for Christmas Manduka Pro Majestic mat. It is so slippery I don't want them to see that I would rather use my old cheap mat, which was good for years......I blame myself that I did not read this before. Everyone was talking how good Manduka mats are, now I see only haw slippery they are.........
Very disappointed.

Finally got my Pro Lite yesterday.. so following its instructions to speed up the "breaking in" process, I sprinkled it with a fine grind Sea Salt, gently wiped it with a damp cloth (treated it like a baby, LOL), tried it last night and I was slipping...

Sooo, just this morning, I placed it under the sun, sprinkled water, added the sea salt, and scrubbed it with all efforts using my Scoth Brite Scouring Pad (since treating it like a baby didn't work), and waited it to dry a bit.. it startled me when I noticed it's having this white thingy like discoloration. I checked the scouring pad I used and it also has such white thingies so I assume that is the "thin film" already.. I grabbed a damp cloth, wiped it with all efforts to remove those sticky like dirt and waited for it to dry.. tried it with Downward Facing Dog..and VOILA! no slipping at all!! I'm just so happy right now that I want to share how it worked for me :)